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Apply for Adding a New Category Based on Exchanging Licences

This service enables you to add a new category to driving licences issued in Dubai based on exchanging licences from exception countries (list in the terms and conditions).

Eligibility
Individual customers, citizens and residents, are eligible to apply for this service.
Required documents
  1. Original driving licence from the exception countries + Copy
  2. Original valid Emirates ID
  3. Electronic eye test
  4. Letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for diplomats
  5. Legalised translation of the licence (check the table in terms and conditions).
Service fees
  • 200 AED
  • +20 AED Knowledge and Innovation fees.
Process time
  • 5 minutes.
Customer Happiness Centres
Vehicle Registration and Inspection Centres
Driving Institutes


Institute

Area/Branch

Contact Number

Belhasa Driving Centre

Al Wasel Branch

04-3243535

Belhasa Driving Centre

Jebel Ali

04-8817171

Belhasa Driving Centre

Nad Al Hammar

04-2895908

Belhasa Driving Centre

Al Qouz 4

04-5091200

Belhasa Driving Centre

Al Qouz

04-3412636

Dubai Driving Centre

Jumairah

04-3455855

Dubai Driving Centre

Al Qouz Industrial 3

04-3236000

Dubai Driving Centre

Al Qusais 1

04-2381115

Dubai Driving Centre

Al Khail

04-4048000

Dubai International Driving Centre (Drive Dubai)

Dubai Investment Park 2

04-8855118

Emirates Driving Institute

Al Qusais 1

04-2631100

Emirates Driving Institute

Al Qouz 3

04-2631100



Process

Through Service Centres

  1. The customer submits the required documents at the centre.
  2. The customer requests to add the required category to the driving licence.
  3. The customer settles the required fees.
  4. The customer receives an electronic copy of the receipt to the e-mail registered in the system, and a text message to the registered phone number with a link to download a copy of the transaction receipt.
  5. The customer receives the licence with the new categories.

Through Driving Institutes (for Singaporeans)

  1. The customer submits the required documents at the institute.
  2. The driving licence data is verified.
  3. A traffic file is opened if the customer is applying for the first time.
  4. The customer books an appointment for the Knowledge test.
  5. The customer settles the required fees at the centre.
  6. The customer receives an electronic copy of the receipt to the e-mail registered in the system, and a text message to the registered phone number with a link to download a copy of the transaction receipt.
  7. After passing the Knowledge test, the licence is printed and submitted to the customer.
Average waiting time
  • 5 minutes.
Validity

Depends on the remaining validity period of the previous permit.

What you will get

New driving licence with the added category.

Terms and conditions
  • The driving licence to be exchanged must be valid.
  • Customers with a residence visa issued in other emirates can add a category to their driving licence only if they live, study, or invest in Dubai.
  • Customer Happiness Centers where the eye test is available: Customer Happiness Centre - Umm Ramool, Customer Happiness Centre - Al Manarah, Customer Happiness Centre - Al Twar, Customer Happiness Centre - Deira, Customer Happiness Centre - Al Barsha, Customer Happiness Centre - Al Kifaf.
  • The customer must be present in person.
  • If the visa was not issued in Dubai, the company must have a branch in Dubai, and the customer must work in Dubai branch.
  • The customer must pass the eye test according to the requested category.
  • The driving licence issued from the below countries cannot be replaced:
    • Puerto Rico (USA)
    • North Mariana (USA)
    • Guam island (USA)
    • Liechtenstein (Switzerland)
    • Monaco (France)
    • Jersey island (Britain)
    • Andorra (Spain)
  • Exception countries:

GCC Countries

Licence origin

Nationality

Licence requires translation (yes/no)

The foreign licence must be withdrawn (yes/no)

Replaceable categories

Saudi Arabia

All exception countries

No

Yes, from all GCC nationalities only

All categories

Kuwait

All exception countries

No

Yes, from all GCC nationalities only

All categories

Bahrain

All exception countries

No

Yes, from all GCC nationalities only

All categories

Oman

All exception countries

No

Yes, from all GCC nationalities only

All categories

Qatar

All exception countries

No

Yes, from all GCC nationalities only

All categories

European countries

Licence origin

Nationality

Licence requires translation (yes/no)

The foreign licence must be withdrawn (yes/no)

Replaceable categories

Lithuania

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Portugal

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

No

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Hungary

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Bulgaria

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Latvia

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Serbia

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Luxembourg

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle only

Iceland

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Estonia

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Cyprus

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Slovakia

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle only

Slovenia

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle only

Malta

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle only

Albania

Nationals only

No

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Romania

All countries

No

No

All categories

Germany

All countries

No

No

All categories

Italy

All countries

No

No

All categories

Switzerland

All countries

No

No

All categories

Poland

All countries

No

No

All categories

Finland

All countries

No

No

All categories

Spain

All countries

No

No

All categories

Netherlands

All countries

No

No

All categories

Greece

Nationals only

Yes / Embassy

Yes

Light vehicle only

Sweden

All countries

No

No

All categories

Belgium

All countries

No

No

All categories

Ireland

Nationals only

No

No

All categories

Turkey

All countries

No

No

All categories

Denmark

All countries

No

No

All categories

Austria

All countries

No

No

All categories

France

All countries

No

No

All categories

Britain

All countries

No

No

All categories

Norway

All countries

No

No

All categories

The Republic of Montenegro

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

No

Light vehicle only

Ukraine

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

Yes

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Northern American countries

Licence origin

Nationality

Licence requires translation (yes/no)

The foreign licence must be withdrawn (yes/no)

Replaceable categories

United States of America

All countries

No

No

All categories

Canada

Nationals only

No

No

Restricted driving licences with categories G1 and G2 cannot be exchanged

East Asian countries/Oceania

Licence origin

Nationality

Licence requires translation (yes/no)

The foreign licence must be withdrawn (yes/no)

Replaceable categories

Japan

All countries

Yes/legalised

No

All categories

South Korea

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

No

All categories

Israel

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

No

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Azerbaijan

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

No

Light vehicle and motorcycle

Uzbekistan

Nationals only

No

No

Light vehicle

Hong Kong

All countries

Yes/legalised

No

All categories

People's Republic of China

Nationals only

Yes/legalised

No

Light vehicle

Australia

Nationals only

No

No

All categories

New Zealand

Nationals only

No

No

All categories

Singapore

Nationals only

No

No

Light vehicle and motorcycle after passing the knowledge test (signs test)

African countries

Licence origin

Nationality

Licence requires translation (yes/no)

The foreign licence must be withdrawn (yes/no)

Replaceable categories

South Africa

All countries

No

No

All categories

FAQs

This service has no FAQs.

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